Summary
First unveiled at the Geneva motor show in Spring 2019, the Ferrari F8 is a mid-engine sports car that was offered as either a coupé or a convertible. It was produced until 2023, being replaced by the 296.
The Ferrari F8 was the successor to the Ferrari 488, and was the last in a long line of mid-engined V8 Ferrari sports cars that dates right back to the 308 GTB of 1975. The F8 Tributo had the same twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine as the 488, but with power increased by an additional 50hp. That made it the most powerful production V8 sports car that Ferrari had ever produced.
This performance upgrade did not go unnoticed by the British media. Top Gear labelled the Ferrari F8’s engine “an absolute masterpiece”, while Motoring Research remarked that the F8 was “the finest imaginable tribute to a remarkable run of mid-engined Ferrari V8 sports cars.”
Reviewers also commended the Ferrari F8 for its stunning exterior looks that muster nostalgic memories of the V8 Ferraris of old, its great handling, and surprisingly its day-to-day practicality, prompting the Daily Mail to call the F8 Tributo the “everyday Ferrari”.
Conversely, some reviewers concluded that the Ferrari F8 did not do enough to distinguish itself from the 488. It also received criticism for its in-car technology, which fell well below the standards of other manufacturers.
The biggest point of contention for the Ferrari F8 was, inevitably, its price tag. Pricing for the F8 Tributo coupé increased by roughly £20,000 more than the Ferrari 488 coupé at launch, while optional extras like Apple CarPlay cost an extra £2,400 on top – despite being offered as standard on most Skodas.
Production of the F8 Tributo and F8 Spider ended in Spring 2023, with the model now replaced by the 296 model range.
As of April 2024, the Ferrari F8 holds a Used Car Expert Rating of D, with a score of 55%. Inevitably, its very high running costs and high CO2 emissions drag its score down, despite excellent media reviews. However, we’re also sure that no prospective Ferrari F8 buyer is likely to be too bothered…
Ferrari F8 highlights
- Most powerful conventional V8 Ferrari ever produced
- Exhilarating driving experience
- Surprisingly practical (for a mid-engined supercar…)
- Stunning exterior design
Ferrari F8 lowlights
- Very pricey
- Disappointing in-car tech
- Some optional extras should be standard
- Not a big progression from the Ferrari 488
Key specifications
Body style: Coupé and convertible
Engines: petrol V8
Price: From £203,476 on-road
Launched: Spring 2019
Last updated: Autumn 2019
End of production: Spring 2023
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: F8 Spider
Score: 9 / 10
“The F8 Spider is another sensational supercar from Ferrari. Its V8 engine is the star of the show, followed closely by the stunning shape that still manages to look beautiful while including clever aerodynamics. The in-car tech is a let down, though.”
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Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 9 / 10
“Evolutionary approach makes the new Ferrari F8 Tributo a fitting celebration of the brand’s great V8”
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed: F8 Spider convertible
“There’s a lovely balance to the car: it’s fast but feels controllable. The Ferrari F8 Spider is a reminder that all V8 Ferraris should be celebrated and, as the superlative engine that gets better with every generation, that the future remains bright for Ferrari.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed: F8 Spider convertible
Score: 9 / 10
“I don’t think you need many modern supercars in your life – too fast, too wide, and they all do basically the same thing. A Huracán has astonishing engine response, a McLaren some phenomenal traits. But on balance, for how good it wants you to feel and how much fun it encourages you to have, I’d keep mine an F8.”
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Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 10 / 10
“This may or may not be the last hurrah for the pure internal combustion V8-powered mid-engined Ferrari, but either way, you should fill your boots now.”
Author: James Disdale
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Car
Model reviewed: F8 Spider convertible
Score: 10 / 10
“The exhilarating fusion of coupe refinement with open-top excitement adds a welcome extra dimension to the Ferrari F8 experience; while a Tributo owner gets the same fundamental sensations, dropping the roof is like a drug that makes the F8 all the more intense.”
Author: Ben Barry
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Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 10 / 10
“Overall, the Ferrari F8 is a supercar that absolutely immerses you in the excitement of driving, but delivers those thrills in a package that feels perfectly useable for regular journeys.”
Author: Ben Barry
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Daily Mail
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
“Despite the F8 Tributo’s stunning looks and awesome acceleration from rest to 62mph in just 2.9 seconds and to 124mph in a cracking 7.8 seconds, this is an unexpectedly easy car to live with. We might even dare to call it an ‘everyday’ Ferrari.”
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Evo
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 10 / 10
“The F8 Tributo builds on one of Ferrari’s all-time great architectures, with a handsome new look featuring styling details that reference previous V8 models, improved steering feel and engine noise, and (pretty much) the Pista’s 710bhp engine.”
Author: John Barker
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Model reviewed: F8 Spider convertible
Score: 10 / 10
“It’s fast, intense, and really demands a circuit to fully exploit. But the Ferrari F8 Spider, like its fixed-roof counterpart, is unquestionably a great supercar.”
Author: Antony Ingram
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Motoring Research
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
“This is the finest imaginable tribute to a remarkable run of mid-engined Ferrari V8 sports cars.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
“Ferrari 488 Pista performance for GTB money”
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The Intercooler
Model reviewed: F8 Spider
“The Ferrari F8 Tributo is one of the best-executed supercars you can buy right now. Peeling away the berlinetta’s roof has made the body far more flexible. It’s as though the F8 Spider has been psychoanalysed – lifting the lid has revealed the nature of its flaws.”
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The Sun
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
“Ferrari’s F8 Tributo puts all the firm’s best bits in one dangerously powerful and perfect car”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 8 / 10
“This is still a yellow mid-engine Ferrari, one of the most enticing artefacts humankind has produced, and we should enjoy it while we can, either from within or gazing upon it from without, and in any colour.”
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Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 10 / 10
“For a start, it looks great. My favourite bit is the louvred engine cover, which harks back to the F40. In some cars, features are added to improve performance and look a bit out of place, but in the F8 everything seems to fit and have a purpose.”
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 8 / 10
“A naturally-aspirated V8 is more alive, more tuneful and quicker to respond; however, this twin-turbo example is one of the best in the business and might even itself be a fast-disappearing breed. Great handling, a decent ride quality and a surprising amount of practicality mark this out as a Ferrari to remember, although it’s such a pity about some of the gormless design details.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 9 / 10
“As it stands, the Ferrari F8 Tributo is a suitably stunning send-off for the V8 bloodline, and one of the year’s undoubted stars.”
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Model reviewed: F8 Spider convertible
Score: 8 / 10
“Ferrari’s twin-turbo F8 Spider might be a facelifted 488, but it’s still a bloody good supercar.”
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What Car?
Model reviewed: F8 Tributo coupé
Score: 8 / 10
“The Ferrari F8 Tributo’s turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine is an engineering masterpiece, and its tied to a chassis that has greater finesse than any other supercar currently on sale. The infotainment system is dated and the interior quality is now some way behind the competition, but you’ll forget about that on an empty road.”
Author: Steve Huntingford
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
The Ferrari F8 Tributo was not tested by Euro NCAP during its production life.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
The Ferrari F8 Tributo was not tested by Green NCAP during its production life.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of April 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Ferrari F8 Tributo and F8 Spider to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the F8 range, we’ll publish the score here.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Ferrari F8 received
2020
- Sport Auto Awards – Best Imported Production Coupé
- Red Dot product design awards – Outstanding design quality
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